Acclaim

"With a sumptuous mezzo, Jennifer Johnson Cano was a standout among the three Norns..."

"Ms. Johnson Cano’s substantial, creamy mezzo-soprano is very persuasive in creating a complete vocal portrait of a woman in love, who processes the loss of that love, and later reconciles with her rival. Her arias were flawless combinations of radiant, poised, attractive singing invested with heartfelt delivery, and were rapturously received."

The highlight of the concert was an excellent rendition of Richard Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder, in the orchestration completed after the composer’s death by Felix Mottl. Mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano, last heard about a decade ago, gave a splendid rendition of the vocal part.

The mezzo deployed an exquisite instrument in these songs, often described as sketches for Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde. With impeccable intonation and breath support, Johnson Cano easily reached the compass demanded by the score, her rich and burnished chest voice capped by a lovely bloom of sound at the top, heard prominently in the fourth song.

“And the fourth, luminously sung by mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano (who seems to be channeling Lorraine Hunt Lieberson for fervency and projection in this piece), is the picture of devotion.”

“Jennifer Johnson Cano consoled us with the most beautifully produced angelic tones since Jessye Norman floated out this ode to bliss and heavenly repose."

"Jennifer Johnson Cano was an electric Elvira, her comedy and preemptory interjections perfectly timed; she was truly a thorn in Giovanni’s side. As delicious as Act I was, Act II held the most glorious singing of the evening, including Cano’s “Mi tradì quell’alma ingrata.” Cano’s pulsating precision in melismatic passages and thrilling resonance up and down the range were pure luxury."

Singing with mellow power, the mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano brought humanity and nuance to Castor’s wife, Celeste, who starts the opera pressuring him to sell but ends up in as much agonized ambivalence as anyone.

Mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano, a voice of rare depth and charisma, only sings in one short movement, the famous Pie Jesu. With warm, bronzed, generous tones, she made everyone in the audience seem to hold their breath for those three minutes, perhaps the loveliest moments on the program.

For all the beauty of the choral movements, the “Pie Jesu,” a solo for mezzo-soprano, turned out to be the most gratifying. Soloist Jennifer Johnson Cano’s performance Thursday was one of those instances where I almost sensed mouths dropping open in amazement. Her voice seemed to hold the packed house still for four and a half minutes.

The performances in this world-premiere presentation were superb, in nearly every detail. These were concert opera productions, with no sets and minimal blocking and costuming. The superstar participants did not disappoint, but the stand-out singing came from mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano, as Virginia Woolf, certainly the most theatrically and vocally challenging role in the opera, which Cano brought off with thoughtful phrasing and luminous tonality. The Hours should be a major addition to the modern operatic canon, and I can hardly wait to hear it again in a fully staged production.

Cano sings with mellow sobriety — and, in Woolf’s darkest moments, stricken intensity.

Cano’s portrayal of Woolf was 100% there: Every word was clear both in content and intention, and her mezzo-soprano tone was deeply alluring.

Jennifer Johnson Cano is intensely ardent, arrogant and brave. With her commanding stage presence and dusky, arresting mezzo-soprano, she is exceptionally well cast. She intones Mahler’s melodies stunningly, and her keen dramatic skills inhabit every moment of her performance and every aspect of her multifaceted character.

Jennifer Johnson Cano gave a powerful portrayal of the (unnamed) singer. What was most striking was her ability to alter the character of her voice to depict the various shades of her character's descent into illness. Her tone was warm and strong early on, and in moments of seeming, hoped-for recovery. As Alzheimer's grew in influence, her voice became thinner and paler, yet remained heartbreakingly alive.

Even amid such stage veterans as Racette and Goerke, mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano made an impact of her own as Mother Marie, the prioress’s assistant.

Cano’s voice was full and sturdy enough to project Marie’s courage when she confronted revolutionary soldiers and her resolve when she urged the nuns to take a vow of martyrdom. Yet when Blanche buckled with fear, Cano sang with a warmth that revealed the tenderness behind the toughness.

The other major roles are Mother Marie, a mother hen to Blanche, mezzo Jennifer Johnson Cano, and innocent Sister Constance, the young novice, soprano Lauren Shouffer. Cano has power to spare, a silky sheen to her resonant voice, and lively stage presence. She's one to watch.

Cano stressed the individuality of each song, capturing their unique phrasing and sagely choosing apt, contrasting vocal colors and techniques.

Cano’s creamy mezzo, pliant, deep and clear, invited her listeners into her opulent sonic world, and the burnished brilliance of her upper range was the icing on the cake.

Both Cano's and Markgraf's voices are resplendent, and when they sang, my heart leapt into my throat and the auditorium came alive with feeling.

Jennifer Johnson Cano in “The Tell Tale Heart” with composer-pianist Gregg Kallor and cellist Joshua Roman
The Society of the Four Arts
Jan. 29

It is impossible to forget the sound of Jennifer Johnson Cano’s gorgeous mezzo-soprano voice. Her instrument rang with perfectly balanced chiaroscuro. Championing new music with precision while exhibiting prominence in traditional song repertoire, Johnson Cano’s performance was dynamic and exquisite.